Sioux City police and authorities in South Dakota are searching for a suspect in a weekend homicide after a body was discovered in Lincoln County, South Dakota. The body was found in a ditch five miles east of Interstate 29, but Sioux City Police chief, Doug Young, says investigators determined the man was shot early Sunday morning on the city’s west side.
He says the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department contacted them about the body. “It was very evident that this individual was probably not murdered at that location, but was actually transported to that location and disposed of. So as a result, the Sioux City Police Department began conducting and investigation on our own as a homicide,” Young says.
The dead man, who has not been identified, is around 20 years old and his body was found by a passer-by on Sunday morning. “We believe that this individual was murdered here in Sioux City between three and six A.M. Sunday morning, then transported to Lincoln County South Dakota –and as a result of a witness statement — believe the body was disposed of at approximately 7:20 A.M.,” according to Young. He says the body was set on fire after it was dumped in the ditch.
Authorities are searching for 20-year-old Martin Castellanos in connection with the case. He is described as a 5-feet-8,180 pound, Hispanic male who may have a light mustache. Castellanos may be driving a silver 2003 Audi A4 with Iowa license plate 8-9-2-Y-S-D. Young says Castellanos is considered armed and dangerous. Police have charged 22-year-old Ricardo Jaime Vital of Sioux City with being an accessory after the fact. Police believe the shooting took place at Vital’s residence and the alleged shooter, Vital and the victim all knew each other.
(Reporting by Woody Gootburg, KSCJ,Sioux City)